Born With Sight, but Living Blind

Daniel R Tidmore

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Intro:

John 9:35–41 NKJV

35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?” 36 He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” 37 And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.” 38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him. 39 And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.” 40 Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.

John 9:35–41 NKJV

Tonight as we celebrate our freedom as a nation, I want to share something the Lord laid on my heart yesterday, [Born with Sight, but Living Blind].

Earlier this year, I felt we needed to study end-time events during the summer. I have enjoyed our study so far. I had ever intention of studying the Great Tribulation this evening.

All of that changed yesterday when I was resting at the house. I was half-asleep and half-awake when I felt that needed to get to my office and read about God opening the eyes of the blind.

At first, I was somewhat skeptical and wondered how that worked. He explained that there have been situations in the church he addressed through a topic the Lord gave him in advance.

There have been a few times I have had a dream about a message or been half-awake and the Lord laid a thought on my heart. Every time it has been a timely word for our church.

I asked, what if the Lord lays something different on your heart. He shared that he has changed his plans before as the Lord directs him.

I have decided I write my best messages when I am asleep, I only ask that you stay awake as I preach them!

I took his words to heart, and I have become better at planning where we are going in my messages. Earlier this year, I felt we needed to study end-time events during the summer.

There are five references to Jesus healing the blind in the New Testament. Opening blind eyes is exclusive to the New Testament, there are no references to that sort of healing in the Old Testament.

I do not know what it would be like to be blind, but I do know what it is like to not be able to see. If I do not wear my glasses, everything is really blurry.

I had ever intention of doing that tonight until yester

Bekah can tell you, without classes I lose all sense of control. If I wake up and can’t find them, I quickly call for her help. She will answer, “did you look for them?” Which makes me respond, IF I COULD SEE, I wouldn’t need your help to find them!

I remember once when I was in the tenth grade, I was supposed to wait for my sister and walk home with her. Instead, I got a ride with a friend.

I went to my brother, who was taking a nap, and hollered, STEPHEN, you need to GET UP and go get Hannah. He promptly told me to leave him alone and walk back to get her.

I called mom, she told me to get Stephen and he was to go back and get Hannah. He woke up less than thrilled. And the loving brother I am remarked, “Next time if you will just listen to me, we will not have ANY problems.”

With lightning speed, he grabbed my cheek and pushed my head ever so gently into the wall, which made my glasses break. I lost it, I bawled, I cried, I told him, without my glasses I can’t see anything!

He got scared of mom’s repercussions and told me to get in the car. We got Hannah, went to the mall, go the glasses fixed and he bought me Chick-fil-a.

Moral of the story, if you mouth your older brother, he will buy you Chick-fil-a. Wait, NO, I mean, the moral of the story, is, it is hard for those who cannot see.

Those born blind are in a unique position. They can feel the warmth of the sun, but never see a sunrise. They can smell a flower, but never see its beauty. They can feel the waves crash against the shore, but never see the tide roll in.

Tonight, I want to read the story of Jesus’ healing a man who was born blind. His story is miraculous, but I want to look at the other characters and their reaction to his condition and healing.

I want us to see that there are those who can see, but choose to be blind. They will turn a blind eye to the sin and suffering of others, while turning a blind eye to their own sin and self-righteousness.

We will look at two questions and two response, giving us four parts, [The Disciple’s were Blind], [The Blind Man’s Sight], [The Pharisees were Blind], and [The Healed Man’s Sight].

Let’s begin

1. The Disciples were Blind

John 9:1–5 NKJV

1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. 4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

John makes it seem like a coincidence, but I believe that the Lord was intentional in walking by this blind man. As they passed by, the disciples asked a question, why is the man blind? Was it his sin or his parent’s sin?

Before we look at Jesus’ response, notice how jaded and impersonal the disciples were. Instead of looking at this man with compassion, they were blind to his suffering.

Instead of trusting Jesus to help him, they preferred to have an intellectual conversation about the origins of the man’s condition.

Thankfully Jesus had compassion and explained the situation. The man nor his parent’s sin was the result of his ailment. Jewish culture taught that if a person was born sick or blind, it was because of some sort of sin.

Had he become blind, that would have been a different story. Jesus explained, neither he nor his parents were to blame. Jesus informed them his condition will be used by God to bring glory to the Lord.

People would see for generations to come the power of Jesus. He shared, I AM the light of the world. The man’s vision was darkened by his condition, but Jesus was going to shine light!

To start the story, we see that the disciples were blinded to the suffering of the man. But Jesus stepped in and...

2. The Blind Man’s Sight

John 9:6–7 NKJV

6 When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. 7 And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.

John 9:6–7 NKJV

One thing about those who are born blind their other senses are excellent. One of the best interpreters I had in Costa Rica was a blind man named Beto. He was born blind in Mexico and learned to walk by pushing a missionary’s wheel chair.

God called him to preach and he would interpret the messages. He could not see me or my notes, but he could hear everything I said regardless of where I stood.

I would say this blind man was the same. He had to hear the questions of the disciples. It is likely he was near the temple and he heard many pious people make similar remarks.

Perhaps all his life he wondered what sin caused this to happen? Imagine the joy he felt when he heard Jesus explain NO ONE was at fault.

Jesus came to him, spit in the mud and made some clay to put on the man’s eyes. Jesus showed his authority over the man’s condition and the disciples bad theology.

He was told to go to the pool of Siloam. Notice John tells us that means “sent.” Think about it, the Sent One, Jesus, sent the blind man to a pool called sent to be healed.

And it worked. For the first time in his life, he saw his parents, neighbors, and friend. The neighbors had mixed reviews. Some thought it was the man who had been healed, others thought it only looked like the man who was born blind.

He told his story of what the man named Jesus did. They wanted the man to go to the Pharisees to get an explanation on if this truly was the blind man, how he was healed, and to learn where the Healer was.

What should have been a reason to rejoice, the BLIND MAN could SEE, instead it showed us...

3. The Pharisees were Blind

John 9:18–20 NKJV

18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. 19 And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind;

They took the man to the Pharisees and they began to examine the case. First the man told his story about the Man called Jesus who healed him.

They Pharisees told him that this Man could not be from God because He chose to heal on the Sabbath. They were blind to the genuine miracle because of their hatred to Jesus.

They went so far as to question the parents. Remember, they believed that the parents must have sinned because the son was blind.

The parents knew the tactics of the Pharisees so they refused to answer. They acknowledged that their son was of age and he could speak for himself.

Listen to the what they asked the blind man:

John 9:24 NKJV

24 So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.”

John 9:24

By saying, give the glory to God, they were calling on him to repent. They denied THAT MAN could be of God, they were believed the words of Moses and adhered strictly to the law.

Notice they wouldn’t even call Jesus by name. Jesus means “to save.” They did not believe that this man could have been sent to save people, so they did all they could to deny His credibility.

Notice how blind the Pharisees were. Standing before them was a genuine miracle, but their self-righteousness and lack of faith in God’s supernatural power made them turn a blind eye to what God did.

The disciples were blind to the man’s suffering, the Pharisees were bling because of their self-righteousness, but notioce...

4. The Healed Man’s Sight

John 9:25 NKJV

25 He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.”

John 9:25 NKJV

25 He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.”

The Pharisees did all they could to persuade the man who was blind that Jesus was actually a sinner. But notice, the healed man continues to go back to the facts.

He does not know whether the Man was a sinner or not, all he knows is that his entire life he was blind with no hope of having sight.

But this man called Jesus came and changed his life. They then questioned him again, wanting to hear the story one more time. Annoyed the healed man asks if they are so curious because they want to be come His disciples?

They began to curse the man who had been healed. These men who were born with sight chose to live blind, but the blind man could see clearly.

John 9:32–34 NKJV

32 Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. 33 If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.” 34 They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out.

The healed man once again defended Jesus and explained, no where in the law or through the prophets do we have any record of any person being healed from being blind.

How could the Man not be from God? The man’s sound logic ruffled the feathers of the arrogant Pharisees. They knew he was right but they refused to accept defeat.

They cast out the man from their presence. The act of being cast out was terrible. There were three degrees of being cast out:

they were isolated for thirty days. Everyone, including family, had to stay six feet from the person who had been cast out because of disobedience.

If they persisted, they would not be able to teach or be taught, hire or be hired, and could not purchase anything accept the bare necessities.

Finally, they were removed from ALL religious and social benefits.

They Pharisees were so bling, they refused to accept the healing of the man, but then Jesus came in and helped again.

Close:

John 9:35–39 NKJV

Jesus heard he had been cast out and he knew what that meant for the man. Jesus came and found him and asked, do you believe in the Son of Man.

Notice, this was the FIRST time he saw Jesus. He had heard him, felt him touch his face, and spoke with him. But after he was healed, the man could not find Jesus.

But upon meeting Jesus he asked, I want to believe, but where is He? Jesus answered, you are looking at Him. The man then professed his belief in Jesus.

Now, not only were his physical eyes opened, but also his spiritual eyes. Jesus then uses his condition as an analogy, I came for those who do not see, not for those who think they can see.

He came to give sight to those who are blind, not to those who think they can see, but are choosing to live blind.

The Pharisees overheard Jesus and interjected:

John 9:40–41 NKJV

40 Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.

They way they structured their question, it is as though they asked, “we are not blind, are we?” They expected Jesus to reply, absolutely not, you can see perfectly.

Instead, Jesus explained the spiritually blind are those who think they can see, while those who accept their need of help are the ones who can see.

I looked back and I preached from this chapter last year in April. But that time my focus was on the blind man. As I have studied it this time, I couldn’t help but notice how blind the disciples and Pharisees acted.

These two categories, the disciples or followers, and the Pharisees or religious people were blinded, but in different areas.

The disciples could see the man, but turned a blind eye to his suffering, instead wanting to discuss why he was blind.

The Pharisees could see an obvious miracle, but turned a blind eye to it because of their self-righteous attitudes.

The exciting part is that the man was healed, the saddening part is those who knew Jesus and those who claimed to be religious were blinded.

Sadly, I see many parallels with this story and our world today. Everyday we walk by people who are spiritually blind, they are blind to who God is and they are blind because of their sins.

If only they could hear about Jesus, many of could have their eyes opened and they could understand how radically He can change their life.

But too often the church can act like the disciples, looking at their circumstances, yet refusing to do anything to help.

The church can act like the Pharisees, see the problems, yet debate how to solve them instead of actually believing God to help them solve them!

And when the true church, actual born again believers, or the religious nominal Christians, do not pray, witness, reach out, or help those who are blinded by their sins, see, then we who have SIGHT are choosing to LIVE BLIND.

Because the simple fact is this, we live in an era of undiluted sin. There are many problems in our nation.

Biblical marriage is under attack

Who we are and our born identity is under attack

Unborn children are under attack

The family is under attack

Morality and the church is under attack

We see these attacks, however, the normal response is disgust, discouragement, and NO ACTION.

If we do not respond to the sin and immorality of our nation with prayer, fasting, weeping, witnessing, and compassion, then we are people who HAVE SIGHT, but are Living Blind.

If we know the truth and choose not to share it with others, walk in it, and perpetuate it, then we Have SIGHT, but are LIVING BLIND.

But if we will pray and seek God for our country, then we can see God move in our situation and take what is covered in sin and see God bring about for His glory!

Before the Revolutionary War began, George Washington started and financed the first navy. The flag he had flown over the ships was white, with a pine tree in the middle, and the words, AN APPEAL TO HEAVEN on the top.

Throughout the war, this flag was flown as a symbol letting it be known that colonies were appealing to heaven on behalf of their country.

Within the last few years, this flag has become popular in many prayer movements. As many are beginning to realize: If we want our nation to change, we need our churches to change.

We cannot continue to have sight, but turn a blind eye to sin. We cannot see the suffering, but turn a blind eye. We cannot see the moral depravity and turn a blind eye.

Instead, the people of God who are called by His name need to get down, pray through, and ask the Lord to open our eyes to His plan for our lives!

Too often Christians can get their hopes in political ideologies and personalities. For eight years half of the nation wanted a new president, now for the past nearly three years the other half wants a new president.

People want a new congressman, a new senator, a new governor, and new state legislature. People think, if only we could get the Supreme Court to shift one way or the other, then everything would be find.

While this makes sense in the natural, as people of faith, our eyes should be opened. WE must realize that the hope for our nation will not come from Washington D.C and the hope for our state will not come from Jeff City.

It will begin at this altar when the child of God cries out to the Lord and declares, GOD FORGIVE me if I have turned a blind eye through a lack of prayer, faithfulness, giving, and commitment to you!